Tracey Spicer as she appears on our television screens. Photo: James Brickwood

"You're looking tired. Are you feeling sick?" This is what I've been asked after turning up to corporate meetings with frizzy hair on my head, several strays poking from my chin, and no make-up. People have looked at me strangely. One colleague has even burst out laughing, "Woah, that's crazy hair!"

I've felt exposed. But I battle on, without my armour, because I want this to be the new norm. After 30 years in television I'd become what I despised: a painted doll who spent an hour a day and close to $200 a week putting on a mask.

Then, exactly one year ago, I began deconstructing the beauty myth. It was prompted by a question from my seven-year-old daughter, as she watched my elaborate ritual. "Mum, why do women put on make-up and men don't?" she asked.

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"Darling, society has unrealistic expectations about the way women look," I replied. "It's not fair. But I'm going to do everything I can, in my own small way, to change that. Always remember: you're beautiful just the way you are."

This led to me wiping off my make-up, spraying water on my hair, and kicking off my heels on stage at TEDxSouthBankWomen. It felt liberating, empowering and real. The speech went viral, attracting more than 800,000 hits.

I've been weaning myself off extreme grooming ever since. Each month, I reduce my regime: spray tans, hair treatments and serums are gone; blow-dries and dye jobs are halved; make-up is back to a bare minimum. As for all that expensive skincare full of nasty chemicals? What a waste. Nowadays, it's a simple cleanser and moisturiser.

Last month, I stopped shaving my armpits. One girlfriend was horrified: "Don't you feel sweaty? Doesn't it smell?" Well, yes and no. It does feel different. But I feel sexier, strangely. The legs are next, at which point I can truly call myself a hairy-legged feminist.

Then, there's the biggie: to stop dyeing my hair. Sadly, I don't have the confidence to tackle that one yet. And I'm still trying to work out whether I could keep my job as a TV news anchor without wearing the "uniform".

But I couldn't be happier, because I've bought myself an extra hour a day: more time to play with the kids, ride the paddle board and strum the guitar.

Oh, and work. I'm definitely more productive. The best thing? I feel like the real me, instead of a painted doll.

ABC TV reporter Philippa McDonald articulated this beautifully as I walked into a Women in Media meeting, past a picture of me in my war paint. With a warm hug, she said, "I like this Tracey better than that Tracey."

I wasn't always a beauty addict. My sister and I were brought up on a diet of motor racing instead of make-up; it was all about dipsticks, not lipsticks. As a teenager, I read Dickens, not Dolly. So I was shocked when one of my bosses - at a radio station, believe it or not - told me to put on some make-up so I'd "look more professional".

Over the next 20 years my confidence was slowly eroded by letters from viewers and comments from superiors. My face and body were in a state of continual "renovation".

"You're porking up a bit," one boss said, months after I'd given birth. "I suggest you get rid of the scarecrow hair," from one viewer, after a live cross at the scene of a murder-suicide. "We need to do something about the crow's-feet," suggested one producer.

No wonder we end up hiding behind a mask, fronting television's image factory. This was brought into sharp focus during my first TV appearance about the TEDx talk, entitled The Lady Stripped Bare. In the Studio 10 make-up room, an artist danced around me for an hour as I swatted away her brushes. "Oh, at least let me put some false eyelashes on you!" she said, exasperated.

Heavy make-up and helmet hair is part of a presenter's uniform. But it's not just TV: extreme grooming is becoming baseline. In 2013-14, beauty industry revenue in Australia is expected to grow by 2.9 per cent to $3.6 billion. In Britain, the beauty market has grown by 120 per cent in the past three years.

We're living in a "highly gendered society when it comes to expectations about female dressing and grooming," says Catharine Lumby, professor of media at Macquarie University. "The real question is when does grooming become a grim chore rather than a pleasurable ritual?"

I would say, at work. Research by the University of Technology, Sydney, and Daegu University in South Korea, reveals that radical plastic surgery procedures among Korean women are "standard practice" before corporate job interviews. This trend of "lookism" is pervading Australian workplaces, too.

"I absolutely agree there is an increased focus on women's appearance and grooming in workplaces as compared to men," says Liz Broderick, the Sex Discrimination Commissioner.

Grooming is a cost of doing business borne by women, not men. According to one survey, women spend about 3276 hours primping and preening over a lifetime, while men devote only 1092 hours to their looks. But despite the time and money grooming costs, it does seem to increase earning power.

British sociologist Catherine Hakim says women who invest in the right make-up, clothes and hairstyle are raising their "erotic capital" in the workplace. In her book, Honey Money: Why Attractiveness Is the Key to Success, she cites studies showing bias in babies, who prefer to look at attractive faces. "People who don't make efforts to look well and groomed are ignored," Hakim told British media. "It's nothing to do with fairness – it's the real world and most of the behaviour is unconscious. Looks matter."

Professor Daniel S. Hamermesh calls this link between looks and success "pulchronomics", in his book Beauty Pays: Why Attractive People Are More Successful. The economist points to compelling evidence "well-turned out people" earn significantly more than their "homely" colleagues.

"Assuming today's mean wages, a handsome worker in America might on average make US$230,000 more in salary over a lifetime than a very plain one," he posits.

This "appearance penalty" is greater for women. A study by Boston University in 2011 finds people perceive women to be more "likeable, trustworthy and competent when they're wearing make-up". Our self-esteem is linked inextricably with our appearance. As self-confessed beauty junkie Jess Turner, from jessicatoatee.blogspot.com, says, "I feel like the best version of myself when I'm groomed."

So how do we exude confidence without over-grooming? For me, it's a three-step process: deconstruct, reconstruct, SHEconstruct. In other words, gradually cut back until you feel comfortable with the real you.

Now, when a colleague tells me I look sick or tired, I do one of three things. One is to smile. After all, a study conducted by the department of psychology at the University of Bern in Switzerland found that "a happy facial expression could even compensate for relative unattractiveness". Or I say, "Well, you're no oil painting yourself!" Or I simply ask, "How is that relevant to the work I'm doing?"

MONEY SAVED PER MONTH

Hair care $280 by halving the number of dyes and blow-dries, and cutting out all serums and treatments.

Make-up $60 by buying only the bare minimum, such as a light foundation, one lipstick and mascara.

Skin treatments$125 by reducing my regime to a simple cleanser and moisturiser.

Depilation$35 by banning painful and expensive waxing. Let the follicles run free!

Shoes$200 by eschewing the latest (painful) high heels.

Hair and make-up by Allison Boyle.

46 comments

Brilliant.Brave, inspirational and very beautiful makeup free. Love your work Tracey Spicer ; what a legend.

Commenter

janeb62

Location

Elwood

Date and time

November 16, 2014, 9:40AM

It's good to see a middle-aged woman looking natural for a change.

As a single person I am tired of meeting all these 50 and 60 year old women trying to look thirty again.

I am tired of seeing all these botox babes hiding their wrinkles.

They really are so boring and unnatural and have lost their heart and soul.

Commenter

Bnatural

Date and time

November 16, 2014, 4:44PM

Why is it I am the only one having issues with reconciling this article?

I can only see it that Tracey has perhaps woken up to how the majority of females (my own partner included) go about their daily business.

It's not as if there are any mooted changes to her uniform; hence, I assume this applies to dropping the kids, shopping et al. Once again, a normal chore for the mere mortals.

Perhaps a simple question, why has it taken so long?

Commenter

$keptic

Location

Melbourne

Date and time

November 16, 2014, 5:12PM

You look fantastic,cant beat a natural look. Even your smile is more radiant.Keep it up

Commenter

Greg

Location

melb

Date and time

November 16, 2014, 9:46AM

Tracy you are so beautiful without the makeup and hair styling. Hopefully your decision will enable other women in the media to do the same. We need more public role models making such choices.

Commenter

Deb

Date and time

November 16, 2014, 10:04AM

Great article Tracey, although I couldn't go as far as not shaving my underarms as I don't like the look, feel and smell. Only shave my legs in summer.

Commenter

Catherine

Date and time

November 16, 2014, 10:25AM

Yes I completely agree with all Tracey says! I grew up with absent parents so I absorbed what other people wanted of me....when I was all dolled up...always..I received more attention and was 'valued' more. It became the norm to never go anywhere without my 'face' on. I had recurring dreams if being in a club etc with no clothes on and not being able to hide. Horrid dreams which I believe reflect my inner torment and insecurity of my looks. I made a rod for my own back :(. I still make great attempts to look good although I realize that real people like me..face on or not :)

Commenter

Colleen

Date and time

November 16, 2014, 10:27AM

Congratulations Tracey for your courage on deciding to be you rather than some fools perception or expectation of you.I enjoyed reading about your journey and the reaction to it from others. At the end of the day you have to please yourself first. I am alway taken with something that Wayne Bennett says. You have to be able to come home and look the man (or woman) in the mirror in the eye.Good luck on your continued journey, John

Commenter

Parsimony

Location

Brisbane

Date and time

November 16, 2014, 10:39AM

Thank you Tracey, leading by example is always the most powerful way to make a point. Beauty is not what's on the outside - that ALWAYS fades with time. Beauty on the inside is what matters most.

Commenter

Code Red

Date and time

November 16, 2014, 11:06AM

I do agree that there is a disproportionate focus on how women are supposed to look but I caution the perspective that 'lookism' is entirely gender biased. It's been disproportionatly biased against women for as long as I can recall but given consumerism never misses a chance...its now turned its ugly head to try and ensnare men.

The Age has reported the inclination of young teen boys to be pumping iron, overloading their kidneys with nonsense protein drinks in order to be 'ripped'. No doubt young men are just as easily victim to insecurity over their own erotic capital.

The section executive style is constantly spruiking the notion that men are adopting the same sorts of image/look related behaviour that has previously been considered exclusively for women (botox, cosmetic surg, implants). Bring on the brandwashing.

Commentary on mens clothing, shoes, hair or how 'buff' they are is now the norm. Check the mens hairdo's in professional sport now compared to the 90's or 80's. In the recent Soccer World Cup I've never seen so many pretty boys playing sport with perfectly styled and tipped hair.

I think Tracey describes a trait that has had its worst expression in undermining a womans confidence in what is really important. I do think its a trait found in many areas though. I wish it was different but like most of us I guess I feel powerless other than what I personally choose.